Rare faults are often mentioned in many breed standards for a reason, even when they are almost never seen......
Read More
Same Dog, New Language
The parent club and AKC didn’t change the Dogo Argentino in 2018—but new language did change how humans could finall...
Read More
French Roots, Belgian Wings
France and Belgium may each rightfully regard the Papillon as a native breed – but why, and how do we know? ...
Read More
The Old English’s “See-Saw” Balance
Balance translates into higher working endurance on stock and greater resilience in repeated high-output efforts—wheth...
Read More
“They Should Move As They Stand”
Judges often summarize this universal concept as “good dogs don’t change when they move.” ...
Read More
The Irish Setter’s Signature Word
Can you catch the one word—hidden in a song—that defines an entire breed?...
Read More
Why Don’t They Bark?
Until the late 1970s, the “fact” that the breed was barkless was largely observational, but this changed in the late...
Read More
Rhodes Scholar + Olympic Gold = Dual Champion
Imagine the winner of the Miss Universe pageant—or a Rhodes Scholar—going on to win Olympic gold in the decathlon as...
Read More
Heart of Glass, a Heart for Chins
When a celebrity owns the same breed as other owners, it can validate intentional ownership and serve as a springboard t...
Read More
The Devoted Independent
Understanding a unique balance of traits helps set realistic expectations: an Azawakh is best suited to an owner who res...
Read More
Water Rug!
When modern dog encyclopedias define a “water rug” as a rough‑coated hound once used on aquatic quarry, they are e...
Read More
The Nutmeggers’ Official State Dog
In 2022, Jonathan appeared virtually to the General Administrations and Elections Committee for the state of Connecticut...
Read More
Why We Keep Saying Dog Breed Names Wrong
It is honestly baffling to us that many of these breeds have been around for ages, others have frequently appear in movi...
Read More
The Noble Snobs
A certain expression required in both the Chow Chow and Chinese Shar-Pei standards wasn’t cosmetic but functional; Bot...
Read More
The Tail of the “Royal Dog of Scotland”
iI you are a regular reader of these pages, you know to ask yourself why a breed standard – or any part of it – is w...
Read More
Nine Characteristics Shared by all Sighthounds
We share a list that is still quoted and discussed by breed experts......
Read More
The Pleading Hound Eye
Away from the show ring, a judge reading the standards of certain hound breeds gets an instant mental picture of the big...
Read More
A Liquid Look
Two species have a signature clear, liquid, and soulful "I'm yours" gaze......
Read More
No Scarves Allowed
It is uncommon for breed-standard phrasing to emphasize appearance rather than function, but maintaining uniform colorat...
Read More